Sunrise Yoga Staff, Winston-Salem, NC

Our staff members are what make our yoga studio such a great place!

Our teachers and staff members here at Sunrise Yoga Studio allow us to offer a diverse offering of class types, and they make practicing yoga an enjoyable experience for each student who comes to our studio in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Take a few minutes and learn more about our staff members listed below and try out some of their classes when you see them on our schedule. Whether you are a beginner or have more experience with yoga, our teachers look forward to enriching your yoga practice!

Valerie Kiser

Valerie Kiser has been teaching yoga since 1999 and is a YACEP (Yoga Alliance Continuing Education Provider) through The Yoga Alliance. She became a yoga therapist in 2006 as a natural progression of teaching yoga and her desire to help students on a more personal level. Valerie’s love of learning carries her to study with the top yoga teachers across the country. She spent over 10 years in information technology in the banking industry prior to working full-time at the studio. Valerie believes that yoga is a practice that allows us to take charge of our own lives through growth, balance, and peace.

Valerie is the owner and director of Sunrise Yoga Studio in Clemmons, NC. She teaches private and yoga therapy sessions and group classes of all levels from chair yoga to level 4. Valerie is also the director of the Sunrise Yoga Teacher Training Programs and offers 200 and 300-hour programs that are registered with Yoga Alliance and continuing education courses.

Valerie is the co-owner of ECYT (East Coast Yoga Therapy – an 815-hour program that certifies yoga therapists), a program designed to educate and empower yoga teachers in the art and science of Yoga Therapy as a means to promoting the health and well-being of yoga students. In June 2018, ECYT was awarded a Certificate of Accreditation through IAYT (The International Association of Yoga Therapists) and is 1 of 32 accredited schools in the world.

Cathy Howe

Cathy began her yoga practice by attending a free class at Sunrise Yoga in 2004. Over time, she slowly expanded her interest in yoga from a once-weekly practice to enrollment in the Sunrise Yoga Teacher Training program. Cathy believes that, when it comes to her own practice, “slow-and-steady wins the race”, and that persistence and honest effort do in fact deliver remarkable results regardless of age and physical ability. Yoga helps her stay fit, feel young, and maintain a sense of peace and well-being.She has graduated from the Sunrise Yoga Teacher Training program as a 500-hour Certified Yoga Teacher and is registered with the Yoga Alliance at that level (RYT500). Cathy is part of the faculty for the 200-hour Sunrise Yoga Teacher Training Program.

Elaine Round

Elaine was initially drawn to yoga in 2007 when a gym director gently prodded her to join a class. Physically humbled by the experience, yet left with an unexpected feeling of calm, she decided to explore this yoga thing further.Two years into her practice, she enrolled in the Sunrise Yoga Teacher Training Program as a way to deepen her knowledge of yoga. After completing the program, she pursued an additional 40 hours of training with Roger Cole in Restorative Yoga, which is currently her main teaching focus. With this training (and influences from many others), she brings to Sunrise a class designed to allow the body and mind to let go.

She has graduated from the Sunrise Yoga Teacher Training program as a 500-hour Certified Yoga Teacher. She is also enrolled in East Coast Yoga Therapy Training Program to become a certified yoga therapist.

Ginny Genung

Ginny has been practicing yoga since 1995. In order to deepen her practice, she enrolled in the 200 Hour Teacher Training Program at Sunrise Yoga Studio in 2012. While in the program, she realized she loved teaching yoga to others. She enjoys teaching all levels of yoga & encourages her students to move into poses with modifications and proper alignment. She continued her training and obtained her 500 hour certificate.

Ginny continues to attend workshops with internationally known instructors. She enjoys introducing people to yoga.

Gwen McLaughlin

Gwen started practicing yoga at home. It wasn’t long before she realized that this form of movement would be a part of her life on a daily basis for the rest of her life. With its ability to engage the mind as well as the body, she feels yoga creates a balance which is calming and regenerative. At Sunrise Yoga Studio she found she was able to practice yoga to a more fulfilling degree. Gwen wanted to become a teacher to deepen her knowledge and to be able to share the joy and insight yoga brings. She believes that practicing yoga allows a person to be fully present in the moment, something to which we can all aspire.

She has graduated from the Sunrise Yoga Teacher Training program as a 500-hour Certified Yoga Teacher and is a RYT500. She is also an iRest ® Level 1 Teacher.

Jessie Rymarchyk

Jessie grew up in a small suburb of Syracuse, New York and attended SUNY Cobleskill, Cornell University, and SUNY Dehli where she received degrees in Animal Science and Veterinary Technology. Since 2000 she has been employed full time in the field of veterinary medicine as a licensed and registered veterinary technician. Shortly after starting her vet tech career, she began practicing yoga. She has graduated from the Sunrise Yoga Teacher Training program as a 500-hour Certified Yoga Teacher and is a RYT500.

Jessie’s interest in teaching has grown as she has deepened her own practice. Yoga has benefited her in ways both expected and unintended. This has inspired Jessie to share her experience with others by encouraging them to begin and helping them to enhance their own yoga practice.

Karen Hoglund

Karen became a student of yoga in 1999, eventually receiving her 330-hour yoga teacher training certificate from Triad Yoga Institute in 2004 and her 500-hour certificate from Triad Yoga’s Vidya program in 2008. In January of 2017 she began her 1000-hour certification program to become a certified yoga therapist with East Coast Yoga Therapy. Karen’s challenges with her back (scoliosis) have taught her how important good alignment is and how yoga can strengthen the body while reducing pain. She is inspired by music and ancient traditions so her flow classes often have playlists geared to the sequence, sprinkled in with the occasional myth, and all classes are interwoven with pranayama, asana, and short meditations to hopefully bring us into balance and add a little peace into our lives. Karen is registered with Yoga Alliance at the 500-hour level (RYT500). She is also enrolled in East Coast Yoga Therapy Training Program to become a certified yoga therapist.

Kim Crawford

Kim came to yoga hoping to improve range of motion after breast cancer treatments. She found that yoga brought her so much more than physical flexibility and strength. The awareness and peacefulness that she found with yoga encouraged her to deepen her practice. Kim completed a 330-hour teacher training program at Triad Yoga Institute and began teaching in 2008. She graduated from the Sunrise Yoga Teacher Training program as a 500-hour Certified Yoga Teacher and is now a 500-hour Registered Yoga Teacher (E-RYT500) with Yoga Alliance. Kim believes that anybody in any body can benefit from yoga and she enjoys sharing the yoga experience.

Lisa Kushner

Lisa was drawn to yoga while working on her bachelor’s degree at UNC-Chapel Hill. After earning a master’s degree, raising a family, and working 31 years as a public librarian, she began to focus on her yoga practice. She completed the 200-hour teacher training program at Sunrise Yoga Studio in 2013 and the 300-hour program 2017. Lisa is enthusiastic about working with beginners and helping students find a calm, supportive space on their yoga mat.

Mary Ellen Tuohy

Mary Ellen began practicing yoga 8 years ago after being diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Looking for a way to take back control of her life, she quickly discovered the benefits of yoga as a tool to manage stress, restore balance in daily living, and provide an avenue for self-reflection. Eager to share her experience with others, Mary Ellen enrolled and successfully completed the 200-hour Teacher Training program at Sunrise Yoga Studio and is currently enrolled in the 300-hour program. Mary Ellen believes in the transformative power of yoga and is excited to guide others in their own journey.

Sandra Wells

Yoga has brought balance to her life as well as the ability to honor time for herself. Sandra shares those with all her students through her teaching. Sandra is a former triathlete, marathoner, and competitive cyclist who still enjoys running and cycling. As such, she found that Yoga brought balance to her body as well as her mind. Her particular interests are for sharing her love of yoga with kids and families. Sandra says she teaches yoga because she wants to share the tremendous benefits yoga has to offer for the physical body and for the mind. She wants students to have fun and to enjoy the sense of community during her classes. She is a Level 2 Radiant Child Certified Instructor and has completed the 330-hour teacher training program at Triad Yoga Institute. She has also completed a Certification program for Prenatal Yoga. She has completed the Triad Yoga’s 500-hour teacher training program.

Tom Ward

Tom started practicing yoga in 2012 after looking for an activity to do something physical but more importantly to help manage chronic back pain. After several years of returning to the mat and his back pain disappeared did Tom realize he was missing the other benefits that yoga brought him. Aside from the physical asana practice, Tom endeavors to incorporate yoga philosophy in his everyday life. Tom is a recent graduate of Sunrise Yoga’s 200-hour teacher training (RYT200) and is currently enrolled in the 300-hour teacher training program. He hopes to share his passion for yoga with others so that they can also experience the positive changes that regular practice can bring.

Amber W. Eng

Amber is our Office Manager who works weekday mornings. Amber completed her college education at Western Carolina University with a degree in Early Childhood Special Education (BK). She taught preschool special education in the North Carolina County Public Schools from 1998 until 2015. She loves the beach and the mountains, spending time with friends and family, writing and taking pictures of landscapes, especially sunrises and sunsets. Amber began taking yoga classes at Sunrise Yoga in March of 2016. Practicing yoga has helped guide her on her journey to live mindfully in the present and with a grateful heart. Yoga is an important part of her overall health and well-being. She is very excited and happy to be a part of the Sunrise Yoga family!

Carol Kalbaugh

Carol is our weekday, evening receptionist. She has a degree in Criminology, is a volunteer wildlife rehabber, hiker, bibliophile, a Netflix enthusiast and a proud parent of two poorly behaved dogs. Carol has many passions but she is new to Yoga and so far her journey into this new world has been met with patience, support and enthusiasm from both instructors and fellow students. Carol considers herself far from “a natural” and is always happy to share her experiences with anyone feeling trepidation about taking that first step.